


Quiet Night

by defeatedbyabridge



Category: Bakuryuu Sentai Abaranger | Burstosaur Squadron Abaranger
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-04
Updated: 2014-06-04
Packaged: 2018-02-03 09:35:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 827
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1739840
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/defeatedbyabridge/pseuds/defeatedbyabridge
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ryouga can't sleep, so he sits in the dark and broods. Set after episode 18.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Quiet Night

Yukito gave up on sleep when he realised it was 3.19 and he was still wide awake. He sighed, and sat up. No point in staying in bed if there was no sleeping to be done.

_Ryouga lying still on the ground, blood on his face._

Yukito shook himself. Stupid. No need to keep obsessing. Ryouga was back now, and he was okay. Everything would be all right. He'd been hurt, as they'd all been at times. Part of the job. 

_Mai-chan crying over Ryouga after Asuka and Yukito had put him gently on the floor._

...except there was a child involved. A daughter. And it wasn't right- 

 

Might as well go make some coffee. 

Yawning, he padded out to the kitchen, and turned on the light. He wasn't particularly surprised to see Ryouga sitting on one of the stools, elbows on the counter, chin resting on his hands, staring into nothing. He didn't even move when the light came on. 

"Are you all right?" Yukito said softly as he moved past him to the sink. He filled the kettle and plugged it in. 

Ryouga let out a long, slow breath. "Yes, Sanjou-san. Thank you."

Yukito suppressed a momentary flash of irritation at the stupidity of the lie. Yes, maybe it was a stupid question. But he'd asked to give Ryouga a chance to answer honestly. Not to give him a chance to tell a lie that anyone would see through. 

He tried again, not accustomed to having to prise information out of Ryouga. Normally it was an effort to get him to shut up. "Is your head hurting? Do you need a painkiller?" 

Ryouga met his eyes for a moment, just a moment, then dropped his gaze to the counter top. He folded his arms and leaned back. "No, it's okay. I'm just... thinking."

Yukito nodded, and removed two mugs from the cupboard below the sink. With a frown, he decided on the instant coffee. Not as good as the proper stuff, but it'd do. Right now they both needed a quick caffeine pickup, even if it meant quick and nasty. He took the lid off the jar and put two spoonfuls in each mug, then shrugged and added another one to each. 

Intentionally not talking, he waited for the kettle to boil, casting an occasional glance at Ryouga, who was still staring at the counter. "I don't know if I'll be at her wedding," Ryouga said eventually. 

Yukito allowed himself a brief touch, a hand on Ryouga's forearm. 

"I want to be there at her wedding. I lied to her." 

Yukito sighed. "No, you didn't." The kettle boiled. Yukito switched it off and poured boiling water into the mugs, steam flying up towards the ceiling. "I want you to be there, too. And you're going to do your best." 

Ryouga took one of the mugs with a weak grin of gratitude, and began to stir it. "Nakadai-sensei nearly destroyed me today. He could do worse tomorrow, Sanjou-san." His voice was a monotone. 

"Are you going to stop fighting?"

"No." The answer was reflexive, but then Ryouga's hand flew to his mouth as he realised what he'd said. Yukito was almost glad to see him jarred out of that terrible apathy. 

Yukito stirred his own mug. The spoon clanked lightly against the side. "There you go."

"But- I'm putting fighting ahead of Mai-chan." 

Yukito sighed, beginning to see the depths of what was wrong with Ryouga. "Yes and no. She needs you, but she's got all of us as well. I, uh, I don't want you to leave her either." He tried to think of how best to put this, because it was troubling him as well. "If you want to leave here, now, that's okay. No one will think any less of you, Ryouga. She needs you. But, maybe, we won't find another Red. We won't be able to stop Evorian without you. And then you'll both be in danger anyway." 

He leaned on the wall and took a sip from his coffee. The taste, reminiscent of how he imagined licking a trash can to taste, made him wince. 

Ryouga was silent. He sipped at his own coffee, made a face, and then laughed, once. "It's not the best coffee, but thank you." 

"My pleasure. I suppose."

"I think you're right. And that's why I need to stay. To help protect people, including Mai-chan." 

"I'm always right," Yukito said loftily, and was rewarded with a half-smile. "And we'll help you, Ryouga. You know that." 

"I do."

Yukito knew, and knew that Ryouga knew, that it wasn't exactly the world's most comforting reassurance. They could get hurt, too. Just as easily as Ryouga himself. It wasn't enough, but he couldn't give Ryouga any guarantees. 

Ryouga got up, walked over to him, and leaned on the wall next to him. He bumped Yukito's shoulder companionably. "Thank you."

It wasn't enough, but it would do. For now.


End file.
